Porcini mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes -help

BitterAndTwisted

I ordered those porcini mushrooms from Approved Foods as well. Now I wish that I'd ordered more. Have you seen the price of them in the supermarket? Tesco Direct were selling them at over £2.50 for a 40gr pack! So far I've added them to mushroom soup and one of the Nut Loaf mixtures I ordered at the same time.

lickylonglips

well, i don't have any dietary restrictions, apart from being diabetic, so probably not a dessert! (not that anyone would suggest a dessert.... or would they???? ;-)

they are ridiculous prices in the shops... sainsbury's has the merchant gourmet ones for two quid odd.... it'd ridic!!!

i also got some of the nut loaf mixes, the burger mixes and the couscous and couscous stuffing, so might add some to all of those!!!

i'm not vegetarian, either.... was fancying making some kind of stew with porcinis.. maybe something along the lines of a steak, ale and mushroom type affair...

lickylonglips

thanks for all the suggestions... i'll try and do something with at least some of them over the course of the week, but i don't think much will happen to them if they don't get used up imminently....!

BitterAndTwisted

Personally, I reckon those dried mushrooms will keep for years if they're put in a container but they came in sealed packets anyway. The idea that dried goods like that actually need a "best-before" date I find quite laughable. I know people who turf out perfectly decent, edible food once it's reached its best before date, which I find quite sad really. I just wish they'd give it to me instead.

CCP

I love dried mushrooms and add a few to anything I make with fresh mushrooms - soup, casseroles, pasta, risotto... to add extra mushroom flavour. Your steak, ale and mushroom stew idea would be lovely, I think, although I think I'd probably use half dried porcini and half fresh field mushrooms, as porcini are quite strongly flavoured and ight be a bit overpowering on their own.

As BitterAndTwisted says, though, they seem to last pretty much forever as long as you keep them dry, so don't worry about using them in a hurry.

Fire_Fox

Chicken liver or mushroom pate?

Caterina

Great once revived with hot water and chopped as a posh filling for an omelette also with garlic and chopped parsley.

Add to bolognese sauce (ragu`).

Add to regular mushroom flans and quiches, they add to the fresh mushrooms flavour.

lickylonglips

The omelette sounds delish!!!!!!!!! might have to forgo the parsley and substitute a half teaspoon of dried herbs, but must try that!!!

Caterina

Parsley goes very well with mushrooms but tarragon or chives too, as well as sage and marjoram. Not so much basil (too much contrast in strong flavours). Dried herbs are ok if fresh not available, but I always prefer fresh ones if I can get them. Can't wait that my garden ones start growing again!

falady

Hi there,

I sling some dried mushrooms into stews and casseroles, bolognese, shepherds pie, mince and gravy, etc. They work really well, and add a good meaty depth of flavour (esp if you're bulking out your meat mince with soya mince!).

HTH,

Ali x